Textiles with surface design student, specialising in embroidery

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The welcome- I had a very warm welcome and instantly felt comfortable within this unique little shop in which i call my new work environment. At present i am learning how high quality design and craft is achieved!

Customer profile- I was instantly able to observe how chrissie dealt with clients, watching how she spoke in a friendly manner, offering advice and direction. Stating how someone with a pink complection would better suit cooler colours in a hat such as blues and purples, as it distracts from a flushed face, such details were things that i hadnt considered when selecting accessories and gave me insight into not just buyer/seller communication but how design is influenced by customer profile analysis.

Practical making- I was also so excited to start the process of making! As a surface design student i am naturally drawn to pattern and fabric design which results mostly in samples and experimenting, so as of yet i havent had the opportunity to practically develop my samples into a product! Part of this placement ensures i learn the process of making, pattern cutting and construction specifically hats and accessories!!

Where can I find archives? Museums, libraries, practitioners work, historical buildings, online etc. They can be structured, alphabetically, chronologically, historically, categorically or randomly, depending on the type of archive or who the archive belongs too. For example Andy Warhol’s time capsule has now been transformed into an online archive in which we can view the items within each box alongside a description of each. The idea of storing work for a long period of time and then being able to reflect upon it in the future is something I find really interesting.

The idea of being ‘sustainable’ comes from the industrial revolution and the need to create products faster, cheaper and bigger in scale, which in turn impacts the environment, energy, power, workers and waste. What is unsustainable within design? Dying, is a major factor in the pollution of water, manufacturing causes many ethical issues in terms of cheap labour and the exploitation of workers, these are just a few of the examples of unsustainability within design.

In the design industry, the most damaging part of the design/product life cycle is the consumer use section, with clothing items being washed and re-washed over a long period of time, this is what effects the environment the most. How can this be changed? Is the solution to create short term clothing items with a short term life span, or will this affect the ‘end of life’ section of the product life cycle with a rise in throw away items? Each section of the design life cycle has elements that can be changed in order to make them more sustainable.

The idea of upcycling and recycling textiles is what intrigues me the most, it re-evaluates the idea that manufacturing could be reduced if we re-invented or manipulated already existing products. Artists such as Karen Jessen and Tara booth Mooney adopt this approach. The idea of designing for empathy involves changing a piece of clothing for someone who already has a significant emotional attachment to that item, for example; modernising a wedding dress that has been passed down as a keepsake, or transforming a dress into a bag to make it more tangible or long-lasting.

By trapping wet paint in between two clear pieces of plastic e.g plastic wallet, or clear wrapping paper you can achieve a marbled, stained glass effect. By holding it up to the light the details become highlighted and colours appear brighter!